


Color Outside the Lines

by PirateOfProse



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Eventual Fluff, F/F, Love Confessions, Oblivious Beca Mitchell, Pining, Pitch Perfect Fandom Drive, Post-Pitch Perfect 3, theo is annoying as usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:13:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24867397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PirateOfProse/pseuds/PirateOfProse
Summary: Beca realizes that she is in love with Chloe a little later than she should have. Naturally, she runs after her.
Relationships: Chloe Beale & Beca Mitchell, Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Comments: 12
Kudos: 104
Collections: Pitch Perfect Fandom Drive





	Color Outside the Lines

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DJBubblegum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DJBubblegum/gifts).



> Here is to @djbubblegum on Tumblr. Thank you for participating in the Pitch Perfect Fandom Drive! Story and title are inspired by the song Write On Me by Fifth Harmony, and the prompt: "Anything Bechloe". I hope you liked it. For more info, visit @ppfandomdrive on Tumblr.

She hadn’t planned it this way. In fact, she didn't plan anything at all. When she found Chloe’s ring laying on the floor of her room, pending interviews and photoshoots vanished from her mind and she dashed out of her house, ignoring the yelling and threats from her team, and headed to the airport where she had dropped Chloe _much_ earlier that day. 

So now it’s night, and Beca is in New York instead of her interview with Vanity Fair in Los Angeles, and she has a single thought in mind. A single _someone_ in mind. So, when the plane lands, Beca all but runs out of the airport central.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

The grey sky above her thunders and the first raindrops of what seems to be a storm start to fall. Beca curses at the sky under her breath and heads to the taxi area, ignoring the streak of luck of not being recognized yet, and takes the first one that she sees. Huffing the address, she braces herself and takes a second to gather her thoughts and feelings, recalling the events from the early morning.

***

“Thanks for the ride,” Chloe pulls out her bag and adjusts it on her shoulder “And the coffee.”

She slightly lifts the paper cup of coffee on her left hand with a bright smile. Beca pulls out the luggage from her trunk with a soft groan and sets in on the ground. In a quick, but silent interaction, Chloe extends her right hand to grab the handle but Beca dismisses it by taking the handle herself.

“Thank you for making hell a little better.”

The combination of tiredness of the late last night before and the early morning today are obvious on Beca’s voice, but her smirk is enough to let notice the sincerity in her half-joke. Chloe nudges Beca, teasing her and they start walking to the departures area. 

“Just a little?”

“Okay, _much_ better.”

The intercom voice rings through the airport minutes later, “ _Flight 181 to New York City, now boarding Gate 6._ ”

“That’s my cue,” Chloe takes a look at her airplane ticket and smiles at Beca “Thanks for everything, Bec.”

Beca smiles, in lack of any possible response to how grateful she was that Chloe had been with her, even if it had been for a few days. They hug, a little tighter than Beca is used with other people, but just right as she is used with Chloe. She hands the baggage handler to Chloe, who takes it and adjusts it to roll it with her as she takes a step back.

“Be careful. And text me when you land,” Beca tucks her hands in her pockets as Chloe starts walking away “Love you.” 

“Love you too,” Chloe turns one last time and waves “Bye.”

As usual, Chloe keeps her promise. It is about half-past one when Beca gets her text messages.

**i’m home**

**ttyl ;)**

“Beca, are you even listening to me?”

Theo’s exasperation takes Beca out of her thoughts about bright eyes and gorgeous smiles. She turns to look at him with evident annoyance. He holds her gaze for a few seconds before scoffing and running a hand through his face.

“What? I’m listening.”

“No, you’re not.” he sighs “Beca, I need you to understand. We have an incredibly busy schedule from here to mid-August, and unless you change your attitude this isn’t going to be any easier. Alright?”

Beca nods, with her head low, and stands up to walk over to the door. She has to go to makeup and hair before going to get her outfit change. Since jeans and a shirt, being her most comfortable clothes, have already been banned to go on interviews.

“Good. Now, put on a smile on and go rock your interview. Alex and Kelly are waiting for you in the living room. Oh, and remember at five o’clock we need-”

She walks away before he can finish. Seeing her room door half-open, she steps in, to make a quick stop and gather some will before another hectic day. She takes a look at the place, slowly walking by and remembering the fresh memories with Chloe from the past few days. Chloe, with her bright blue eyes and dashing smile, with messy red hair and contagious giggles. She lets her mind trail off with thoughts of her best friend as she stops on her tracks when she notices Chloe’s ring abandoned on the floor. She crouches down to grab it and a smile grows on her lips and-

Oh.

_Oh._

She drops on the bed, realization hitting her like a bus and a mix of joy and alarm sparking in her chest. She loves Chloe. She is _in love_ with Chloe. And _damn her_ for not realizing her feelings sooner. A sudden urge settles in her stomach and she stands up. She swiftly grabs her discarded grey jacket from the couch, and her wallet from the nightstand, tucking her phone on her back pocket afterwards. She looks at Chloe’s ring, and that’s all the reassurance she needs. With surprising ease, she swipes her passport from Theo’s forgotten briefcase in the hallway and sneaks away from her house.

She makes it to the airport in a shorter time than she expected, and before she notices, she is in a plane seat. Rolling Chloe’s ring in between her fingers, she contemplates calling her for a second, before remembering that Theo’s insistent calls -and possibly GPS tracking- is why she turned it off in the first place. Placing the ring back in her jacket’s pocket, she sighs deeply and sinks into her seat.

***

New York’s traffic and rain have always been the worst combination. All Beca sees outside is the exact same spot from ten minutes earlier with a much stronger rain hitting the taxi. Impatience growing stronger by the minute, she takes her phone out of her jacket but immediately puts in back into place; she will not risk turning her phone on. Not when she is so close. She examines the buildings outside: she is still very far from Chloe’s- _their_ apartment, especially in a car ride with this traffic. In a blur of irrational decisions, Beca takes her wallet out and harshly gives the driver more money than the ride was worth, and without expecting change or an answer, she opens the cab door and stumbles into the street.

Taking a swift look to avoid any driver, Beca starts running towards their building. The rain is pouring strongly on her and the wind sneaks in her jacket; she is getting wetter and colder by the second, in full contrast with her burning legs and lungs. Her chest hurts, not exclusively from the exhaustion, and her clothes are soaking by the time she makes it to Verona Street. With ragged breaths, she hastily stops on the roofed entrance for their building and presses the bell to their apartment. And waits. And presses again. And waits again. Nothing. The strong silence from the intercom quickly drains any hope she might have. Taking a few steps to the sidewalk, she uses her right hand to cover her eyes and looks up. Her throat is burning, and the raindrops are hitting her in the face, but nothing hurts as their window curtains open and lights off. Chloe is not home.

Despair strikes Beca, her rough breathing becomes a strained sob, her hand drops to the side. It took her _so many years_ to realize that, and Beca feels like an absolute idiot. Chloe is not there. Chloe is who-knows-where, doing who-knows-what, with someone else. With someone else. Someone who is not so fucking oblivious. Someone who is not Beca. 

Her vision blurs by tears and raindrops alike. The initial adrenaline is wearing off, and cold suddenly hits Beca, making her feel alone and empty. The thought of Chloe makes her go numb, she has the urge to start running again, unable to just stand there. Her feet start moving with no actual direction, sadness settles in her chest, letting the rain pour on her. A pair of brakes loudly resonates in the empty street, interrupting Beca’s unnoticed sobs, and she barely registers that the car stops mere inches away from her. 

“Beca?!”

It sounds like her, but God knows it’s just another dirty trick of her mind, making up for whatever she was going to tell Chloe initially. But the loud voice keeps yelling at her, and she turns to face it. Beca smiles widely through soaking strands of hair on her face at the front lights reflecting in bright red hair. Beca’s sobs turn into a choked laugh. Chloe is yelling at her, but Beca can’t actually understand the words because _it’s Chloe_.

In a dazed happiness, Beca barely notices the cab driving away and Chloe pulling her to the roofed entrance and taking out her key. The rattling of the keys is what snaps Beca out of her reverie.

"I have to tell you something," Beca declares after swallowing, her voice still a hoarse and raspy.

Chloe turns to look at her with wide bright eyes and damp hairs sticking to her forehead, incredulity obvious in her expression “What the hell, Beca?! What- I don't even know where to begin! How could you be so stupid? What did you- You almost got run-” 

Chloe is cut off by Beca yanking her back into the rain, and squeaks at the raindrops on her neck, dripping to her back.

"If we go inside, I won't be able to tell you any of this," Beca interrupts whatever reproach was coming from Chloe; she is laughing with her head low "God, I'm an idiot. Please, listen to me.

Beca swipes the soaking hairs from her face and grabs Chloe’s hands into hers.

“I’m an idiot for how long it took me to understand what you mean to me. It took me… four championships, seven years, hundreds of songs, and a single ring,” she fishes in her pocket for Chloe’s ring “a single ring to realize that- that I’m in love with you. I love you, Chloe. I always have.”

Chloe's eyes are huge, but Beca can't really make out what is in them exactly. So naturally, she keeps going.

"I love you. I love your laugh, your eyes, your- God, everything about you. And- and you don't even have to say it back, but I don't think I could ever work the courage to-"

She's unexpectedly cut off by Chloe's lips on hers. In the second that her initial surprise lasts, she feels Chloe’s touch on her face, cupping softly in contrast to her lips fiercely looking for more. Beca’s hands travel to Chloe’s neck, and pulls her closer. It’s not the thunder and rain what she listens to anymore, it’s her own heartbeat rumbling loud in her ears. Chloe pulls away with a soft laugh, and Beca can barely make it, too distracted in her daze.

"I can't believe it took you that long either." Chloe giggles, still close to Beca, put apart enough to get lost in her dark blue eyes.

"Wait, what?"

"I love you too, Beca."

The confession lifts a weight on Beca’s chest she never knew she had. She is the one to get closer for another kiss, and Chloe’s soft chuckles on her lips feel like heaven.

"I love you."

***

“I’m sorry.”

Beca’s voice is hoarse and raspy. She is laying down on the couch, with half-open eyes and a light blanket on top of her. Chloe walks from the kitchen sink with a wet towel on one hand and a paper tissue on the other.

“It’s okay.”

Chloe sniffs, placing the towel on Beca’s forehead and kneeling besides her. She has a soft smile that contrasts heavily with her concerned frown. Beca holds her gaze for a beat, feeling Chloe’s fingers running softly on her cheek.

“What?”

“You are so stupid.”

Beca wants to laugh, but it comes out as a strained sound. 

“Alright, shut up. You’re gonna hurt your throat more.”

“I bet you don’t want that,” Beca whispers with a teasing, but tired look.

“Who are you?” she comments in a low voice, still smiling, before blowing her nose “Your label’s going to kill you. And, no, I wouldn’t want my girlfriend being murdered for carelessness on her own career.”

She has to speak at that, propping herself on one shoulder, cocking her head “Girlfriend?”

“Well, that depends on your answer,” Chloe sneezes into her forearm. Talk about bad timing. Beca laughs silently, scratching her neck “Sorry. Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

Beca clears her throat, looking defeated “So I traveled all the way just to not get to be the one who asks?”

“I don’t know why you didn’t do it last night. Oh wait, yeah, because we were too busy getting sick in the rain.”

“I kinda want to kiss you.”

Beca teases, leaning forward a bit, but Chloe leans back, keeping the gap between them and slightly narrows her – a little irritated – eyes before countering.

“You kinda kissed me in the rain last night. So?”

Chloe sneezes again, as if on cue, which makes Beca growl “Still.”

“You haven’t answered my question.”

Beca holds her gaze again, like she hasn’t been thinking about it since the moment Chloe turned away to take her flight. There is something so bright and pure into her eyes, that Beca realizes she has been in love with that sight for too long.

“Yes. I want to be your girlfriend.”

“With stuffy nose and sneezes, and everything?”

Beca nods, “Especially when it’s my fault.”

“I love you.”


End file.
